Captive!

"See to it that no one takes you captive

through hollow and deceptive philosophy,

which depends on human tradition

and the elemental spiritual forces

(basic principles) of this world

rather than on Christ."

Colossians 2:8

She was only eleven years old at the time, walking to her school bus stop one morning when her life changed dramatically.  A predator kidnapped her, holding her captive for 18 years.  During this time of confinement, the girl grew into a young woman:  She became a mother, bearing two children as the product of the sexual abuse her captor so cruelly and coldly subjected her to, and Jaycee Dugard slowly but surely lost touch with the ways of her youth.

When this young girl was first taken hostage, her captor was the only human contact she received for months.  He manipulated her with food, twisted beliefs, and threats until the girl believed his warped version of reality.  Before long, he could trust her to be faithful to him; he had been successful in his attempts to reprogram her mind.

In a similar way, I am vulnerable to being brainwashed into believing something other than what I know to be the truth.  If I give into these beliefs, my mind begins to drink in what is contrary to the truth and I become captive to it's power.  There are so many shallow and false teachings all around me that I must beware!

Human Tradition

Carol did it the same way her mother always did.  Carefully setting the turkey in the sink to defrost, she then inverted the dish drainer and placed it over the bird.  When her husband asked her one year about the reason for the dish drainer, Carol thought for a minute and then said, "I don't know.  That's just how my mother always did it."

Curiosity got the best of my friend and she asked her mom to solve the mystery for her.  "I was always afraid the cats would get to the turkey so I covered it up with the drainer for my own peace of mind."  

Since Carol didn't own any pets, her blind observance of her mother's practice suddenly seemed foolish.  It's funny how easy it is to get caught up in following traditions without understanding the purpose behind it.  When it comes to my relationship with God, however, doing things just for the sake of tradition can land me in a bad place.

Sometimes I get caught up following a list of rules made my men about how I should act, what I should eat and what activities are appropriate.  Then, I turn further and further away from God and begin to worship doctrine.  

Other times I get stuck believing a certain denomination is better or a particular style of worship is superior.  These are the times I adhere more to a belief system instead of staying true to the Person of Jesus Christ.

Letting myself get sucked into the trap of human tradition leads to a close mind that is human oriented.  Instead, I want to be open to whatever God teaches me, willing to love all who come across my path so that He will be glorified in every way.

I must beware of falling into the captivity of customs created by man.

Worldly Principles

Unleash Your Inner Goddess

Your Life Can be Fantastic Too!

The Personal Success Handbook

Change Your Life in Seven Days

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

These are the titles of a few Pop Psychology books that are currently on the market.  The common thread running through each of these popular tomes is the desire for personal power, happiness and success.

While achieving a certain sense of control over my life, a measure of contentment and some form of achievement are common goals in this day and age, I can hardly say they are godly desires.  Pop psychology may be common subjects on well-liked talk shows and fodder for discussions around the water cooler, but common beliefs like thinking positively as a way to transform my life or taking charge of my own destiny go against the truths I find in the Bible.

Letting the worldly principles found in my culture influence the way I think and act is a danger to my faith in Jesus Christ.  If I want to keep from falling into these snares, I will need to pay attention and know the truth.

I must beware of falling into captivity of the worldly principles commonly accepted by most people.

Christ

As a student in college, there was one thing I knew intuitively: when taking a test, there is only one answer.  I studied with this understanding in mind, making sure I knew the material well enough so I would be able to give the correct solutions to the problems presented.  Otherwise, I would fail the exam and endanger my standing as a student.

In life, there is also only one answer that is appropriate for any question.  In other words, any problem I can face shares the same solution; and His name is Jesus Christ.

Living in such an age of relativism where each person creates their own truth or where scientific proof is the only acceptable reality, this belief seems simplistic.  Jesus is, however, the only answer.  

He gives me a full life where once there was emptiness.  (John 10:10)  He offers purpose where I used to feel only indifference.  (Jeremiah 29:11)  Jesus is the only one who can heal me from the inside out. (Luke 4:40)  He gives rest from the burdens I needlessly carry.  (Matthew 11:28-30)  Jesus gives me peace when everything around me is swirling in turmoil. (Mark 4:39)  In short, only He gives the answer I need.  (Proverbs 16:1)

I must beware of falling into captivity of anything other than Christ and Him crucified as the basis of my life.  

I don't even have to look very hard to find shallow teachings that will lead me away from the Truth.  Consequently, I must be on guard, watching out for those human traditions that seep into my way of thinking, or letting the principles of this world become my own.  Jesus is the answer for every issue I face, fear I hold or difficulty I can encounter.  He is the one who will protect me from falling into the captivity of the futile thinking of the human mind.  It is my desire to depend on Christ and Christ alone!

Take a moment to sing along with Jesus is the Answer performed by Andrae Crouch as you thank Him for His love for you.

As I begin this day I pray that I can keep Jesus as the focus of my attention.

How do I rely on popular thinking to guide my footsteps?

When am I most at risk of falling into the trap of faulty beliefs?